Birth Of A Mercenary
by Naveed K
Summary: Another Cloud and sephiroth tale. Explains what really happened in the reactor, and how sephiroth lost it. Also explains why Cloud seems to think he's Zach...


Birth of a Mercenary

**VROOM, VROOM, VROOM !**

Two of the highest ranked 'Shinra' officers were being sent to the small town of Nibelheim to fix up a problem.

"Are you OK?" called Sephiroth, the highest ranked officer, to a low class soldier sitting in the corner of the truck.

The soldier managed to turn his head, and replied, "Yeah, I'm fine," he said holding his mouth. "Just a lil' car sick."

So, have you ever been to Nibelheim?" Zack the other first class soldier, asked Sephiroth.

"Nah, but It says here that our sick friend is from there . . ." said Sephiroth, looking at a sheet of paper, most likely to be the mission statement.

"Is he now?" asked Zack.

The soldier in the back lifted his head and replied, "Uh-huh."

"Never caught your full name..." Sephiroth stated.

"Cloud . . . Cloud Strife, of Nibelheim, sir." He felt honoured, and had a slight grin on his face. It was rare of a high-class officer to talk to a low class soldier so formally.

"I see…feel free to visit any friends or family along out trip." Permitted Sephiroth.

"Thank you sir…" said Cloud, now wondering why Sephiroth was being so nice to him.

There was a silence in the truck again, as it rumbled over rough terrain.

"So, Cloud, you never told me you were from Nibelheim?" Zack asked.

"Actually," Cloud began, "I did. Just that you never cared to listen…"and with that, Zack could say no more.

Zack and Cloud were fairly good friends, or at least they used to be. Ever since children, they both had a dream to fighting beside the valiant Sephiroth. They both joined 'Shinra Soldier,' but only one of their dreams were accomplished. Zack was soon promoted to Sephiroth's ranking, for something that Cloud did for him, and Cloud was left behind as a third-ranked soldier. Ever since the day Zack took his promotion, he grew a deep inner most hatred for him. He had snatched his dream away, as if it meant nothing.

But then again, third rank wasn't that bad, but first was clearly the best…he envied Zack ever so much.

They finally reached Nibelheim, and Sephiroth and Zack went to check in at the hotel, and instead of meeting with friends and family, Cloud decided to accompany them. They chuckled and laughed along the way, while all he could do was just look around.

The town was just as he had left it. The town well towered 2 stories above the ground, His house was right around the corner, Tifa's was just two houses down. Tifa? How could he forget his childhood friend? He thought of visiting her, but instantly changed his mind. He had promised Tifa that he'd come back as a first class soldier, along side Sephiroth. He had promised everyone. He couldn't possibly show his face in the town!

"Get some rest!" called Sephiroth, "we have a long day ahead of us."

"So what's the deal?" Zack asked, the next morning.

"There have been recent reports of monsters appearing at the Mt. Nibel Reactor." Sephiroth explained.

"Monsters?"

"Yeah, we're going there to check it out…"

"But Mt. Nibel is a dangerous place…" Cloud interrupted, "Sorry for interfering, sir, but I couldn't help overhearing that we, I mean _you_, are headed towards Mt. Nibel…"

"Indeed we are, continue with what you were saying." Sephiroth insisted.

"Yes, well, Mt. Nibel is a dangerous place, it has many caves and narrow paths. It's easy to get lost." Cloud explained.

"I knew of this," Zack smiled. "That's why I've hired an escort – someone that knows this place well…"

It was no use, Zack always tried to prove that he was better than Cloud.

"She should be here any minute…" Zack stated.

"HI!" came a voice from behind. A young, long-hared girl, along with two other journalists emerged down the path.

"You must be Tifa…the escort?"

"Yup!" she giggled.

"_What the? Tifa? Here? Now? I cant let her see me like this!" _Cloud thought, pulling his cap further down to cover his face. He felt the urge to go and talk to her…but he couldn't. What would she think of him? A third class?

"It's an honor to meet you at last," she offered her hand to Sephiroth.

Instead, Zack took her hand and shook it, "And what a fine young lady you are…" he winked.

Tifa giggled, and once again offered her hand to Sephiroth, who shook it, and they all laughed.

"Let's get a picture for the town paper!" exclaimed one of the anxious journalists, holding up a camera.

"Sure but be quick, we must be on our way." said Sephiroth.

Cloud stepped away, allowing the man to take a picture to take a picture of the three.

Zack, Sephiroth, and Tifa posed for a group photo. Zack had one hand on his 'Buster Sword, while Sephiroth stood coolly on the side, preparing to draw his Masamune, his long sword. Tifa stood in the center with her arms on her hips. The camera flashed and it was over.

"Here you go…"said the man, handing Zack a copy of the photo.

"Now we must be on our way. Tifa, shall we be going?" Sephiroth asked.

The young and restless Tifa lead the way to the reactor up in the mountain. It was a cold, damp place, rigid and dangerous. But Tifa knew exactly where they were going. They finally reached the reactor within an hour or so.

"Tifa, you must wait here with the guard, this is classified," Sephiroth muttered.

"Aww…come on can I come along too?" Tifa whined.

"No!" Zack stated, and Tifa was left outside the reactor, with Cloud. Though she didn't know it was Cloud. For his cap was still covering his face.

"You heard the man!" Cloud said in a low voice, as Tifa tried to sneak past him and climb the stairs. "It's classified…" So classified that he wasn't allowed in on it…damn that Zack…

"Aww…"she moaned…sitting herself down where Cloud could see her within his sights

A while later…they heard huge 'Bangs' from inside the reator. Suddenly, the sounds became more constant, and became even louder. Cloud lifted his cap a bit, he and Tifa exchanged glances. They both rushed up the stairs and opened the huge steel door. What they saw, they'd never forget.

Inside, Sephiroth was hovering in the air, eyes all red, and fierce. Zack lay at the bottom on another fleet of stairs, bloodstained, eyes open wide.

Sephiroth landed at the top of the fleet of stairs, approaching another steel door. This one heavily secured, and locked tight.

He banged on the steel with his bare fists and yelled, "**_LET ME IN!_**"

Tifa stared at Zack's dead body, and muttered, "How could you? You monster!" and she bolted up the stairs and started punching Sephiroth in the back. Sephiroth stood there, and it seemed as if he wasn't feeling a thing, although the sounds from her punches echoed through the reactor.

"You monster!" she yelled, still continuously punching.

Within a single blink of an eye, Sephiroth spun around and threw a punch at Tifa's stomach, and sent her tumbling down the stairs.

"Tifa!" Cloud yelled. "No!" he rushed to her. He checked her pulse, she was still breathing, yet the wind was knocked out of her. He picked her up, and laid her down in a corner.

Now he was mad. He was furious. No body touches Tifa! He rushed to Zack's dead body, and grabbed the sword at his hand. He hopped to the top of the stairs, and yelled "DIE!" and he thrust the sword into his back.

Sephiroth stood there, sword in his back, and laughed his last moment away… "Ha ha ha…you fool…" His green eyes went glossy for a second, and then they shut.

He had lost it. Sephiroth had gone insane, and Cloud had slaughtered him. Now what was to happen to him? He killed the world's greatest soldier. He eliminated the avatar of Power. He would be a wanted man; no one would care to listen to what really happened in the Reactor.

He took the sword out of the back, the blood dripped and the body slid to the floor. He walked down the stairs. Zack lay dead, and Tifa was sill unconscious. What would happen now? He'd always wanted to kill Zack for taking his dream away, but never imagined his friend to be dead.

He always envied Zack. Envied his luck, his skill, his life. He wanted to become Zack. Now was his chance. He took Zack's clothes, shoes, and even his sword. He would become Zack. He disposed of his old third class uniform, and now sported Zack's purple uniform, with one sleeve, and combat boots. Now he truly felt like a first class soldier, but that dream was long gone.

He took one last look at Tifa. He wished she could have seen him now. But she still lay there, enduring the pain in her stomach. He thought it best to leave her there, although his heart mourned otherwise. The townspeople would question what happened if he walked back with her in his arms. This incident was better left unknown.

He walked out of the reactor, he looked up at the sky, observed the evening clouds.

"Nothing will stand in my way…" he muttered "Cloud Strife, mercenary…"


End file.
